Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights NORWOOD NEWS Vol. 25, No. 1 ■ PUBLISHED BY MOSHOLU PRESERVATION CORPORATION ■ January 12 –25, 2012 A D EVOTION IN FULL BLOOM Bronx Councilman Arrested During ‘Prayer Protest’ Planning More Rallies Against City’s ‘Anti-Religious’ Policies By ALEX KRATZ Bronx Councilman Fernando Cabrera and six other demonstrators were arrested last week in Manhattan during a peaceful protest designed to highlight what they say is the city’s increasingly discriminatory poli - cies against religious groups that rent public spaces for worship. While the protest appears to have staved off eviction for churches using public facilities at city housing complexes, Cabrera and other clergy are continuing to fight a government policy that bans religious groups from using public school buildings for worship services. Anoth - er protest, at Morris High School in the Bronx, is planned to coincide Photo by Adi Talwar with the mayor’s “State of the City” address on Thursday at noon. The Church of St. Ann’s in Norwood holds a processional in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Last week’s “prayer protest,” held in front of the building at 100 Guadalupe in December. Roses are a big part of the ceremony, which is popular among the Church St. that houses the city’s law department, was organized by Pas - area’s increasing Mexican population. tor Dimas Salaberrios after the New York City Housing Authority told him that his church, Infinity New York, might not be able to continue to rent space at the Bronx River Houses, a city-run housing complex where the church has worshipped for the past five years. (Salaberrios said the Bronx Science Students, Alumni church has had a presence there for the past seven years.) On Dec. 17, Salaberrios said NYCHA officials told him they would no longer be able to accept rent from Infinity after Jan. 1 because of a Protest Against Principal recent court ruling that upheld a city policy preventing religious groups from worshiping inside public schools. By JEANMARIE EVELLY wrote us letters of recommendation.” Salaberrios and Pastor Joe Fletcher of Bronx Bible Church, who was In September, an article in the New York (continued on p. 2) A group of current and former students from Times reported that eight of the school’s 20 the Bronx High School of Science, organizing social studies teachers had opted not to return under the name “Take Back Bronx Science,” ral - this year. The story cited interviews with teach - Teen Arrested in lied across the street from the prestigious public ers who claimed to being publicly berated by school last Thursday, protesting administrative administrators, and who said that Reidy was policies they say are harming the school’s repu - overly-critical and unfairly discriminated Shooting of tation and causing a number of teachers there to against teachers who didn’t subscribe to her pre - resign or retire prematurely. ferred style of instruction. The students, a few dozen in number, stood (continued on p. 4) 11-Year-Old Boy on the edge of Harris Field across the street from the school, holdings signs that read By ALEX KRATZ ”Where Have the Teachers Gone?” and “We Have a Voice.” Police arrested a teenager last week and charged him with the Organizing members of the group said the attempted murder of an 11-year-old boy who was shot when bullets were dissention stemmed from reports that a number fired through the door of his apartment on Creston Avenue. Investiga - of teachers have left the school in recent years tors say they are still seeking another suspect who was caught on sur - over conflicts with administrative staff, namely veillance video at the time of the shooting. the school’s principal, Valerie Reidy. Late last Thursday night, inside 2735 Creston Ave., police say two sus - “Me and other alumni, and also current stu - pects, including Kijana Jenkins, 17, walked up to the apartment of 11- dents, saw wonderful teachers who were very year-old Ryan Aguari and rang the doorbell. As Ryan approached the intelligent, very effective, leaving because door, four shots were fired through the door, one of which hit Ryan in they’ve had enough of the harmful, hostile work - Photo by Jeanmarie Evelly the hip. The bullet remains lodged in Ryan’s hip at Jacobi Hospital ing environment,” said Jonathan Aris, a gradu - A GROUP OF ALUMNI protesting the current where he is listed in serious condition. ate from the class of 2010. “Some of these teach - administration at Bronx High School of Science Police released video footage of the two suspects and sought help in ers helped us get into college,” he said. “They last week. (continued on p. 4) ■ New Year’s Fitness Tips, p. 4 ■ VIP Café Open for Biz, p. 6 ■ Free Youth Journalism Program, p. 8 www.norwoodnews.org 2 ■ January 12 –25, 2012 ■ Norwood News In The Public Interest By JEANMARIE EVELLY Vol. 25, No. 1 Bronx Councilman FIRST NYC B ABY OF 2012 A RRIVED IN THE BRONX Norwood News is published bi-weekly on Thursdays by Arrested During Mosholu Preservation Corporation 3400 Reservoir Oval East ‘Prayer Protest’ Bronx, New York 10467 (continued from p. 1) told his congregation could no longer wor - Phone: 718 324 4998 ship at the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses Fax: 718 324 2917 E-mail: [email protected] in Soundview, called NYCHA and asked Web: www.norwoodnews.org them to reconsider their stance. Salaber - rios said they were told they could stay while NYCHA reviewed its rental agree - ments with input from the law department. Publisher CEO, Mosholu That’s when Salaberrios, who is on a Mosholu Preservation Preservation hunger strike and says his church is help - Corporation Corporation ing keep the peace at the traditionally-vio - lent Bronx River Houses, decided to take Editor-in-Chief Roberto S. Garcia Alex Kratz the fight to the law department offices. “I went to tell them, ‘If we can’t have Staff Writer church in our building, we’re going to Jeanmarie Evelly Photo courtesy Montefiore Medical Center bring church down to them,’” Salaberrios NEW YORK CITY’S first baby of the year was born in the Bronx this New Year’s Eve, Classified Advertising said in an interview after the arrests. just as the clock struck midnight. Rania Ali was born at Montefiore Medical Center’s Dawn McEvoy The law department and NYCHA said North Division, weighing in at 7 lbs. 3.8 oz. and measuring 18 1/2 inches. Her par - Accounts Receivable the Department of Education policy that ents, Alia and Imdad, live in Throgs Neck with 3 1/2-year-old big brother Ryan. Dawn McEvoy bans religious groups from worshiping in public school buildings is completely sep - Proofreader arate from NYCHA’s policies. NYCHA Judy Noy time in jail for criminal acts. But as a pas - Household of Faith, a church in Universi - says it is doesn’t have a policy against tor, Salaberrios said he has dedicated his ty Heights, which upheld the DOE’s policy Production worshiping in its facilities, but that it is ministry to curbing violence. banning worship in public school build - Neil deMause reviewing all of its permit agreements There hasn’t been a murder in the ings. (The law department says it is simply Regular Contributors with every group that uses its space for Bronx River Houses for six years and Sal - separating church from state and protect - David Greene, Adi Talwar activities. Although Infinity pays $350 per aberrios credits the efforts of his church ing itself from being seen as promoting or Interns week to rent space, NYCHA spokesperson for breaking up gang violence there. In favoring certain religious practices.) Ronald Chavez, Emily Piccone Sheila Stainback says the agency doesn’t addition to volunteering at the Bronx Bronx Household and 60 other city have typical tenant-landlord agreements River Community Center, Salaberrios churches have until Feb. 12 before they For display advertising, call with groups. said his church donated $30,000 to lose the right to worship in schools. Cabr - (718) 324-4998. Stainback said the groups will be upgrade the facilities, helps residents era is pushing for legislation on the state Support Your allowed to use the facilities until at least with legal problems and gives college level that would abolish the DOE’s policy. Feb. 26 while NYCHA continues its scholarships to local kids. “Now we’re starting to see a mush - Community Newspaper! review of all of its permit agreements. Salaberrios and Cabrera can’t under - room event,” Cabrera said, calling Mayor The Norwood News is a not-for-profit Cabrera, a deeply religious council - stand why, with government making cuts Michael Bloomberg “anti-religious.” publication and relies upon the support of man who heads New Life International to social services across the board, the He added that his first-ever arrest was its advertisers and readers to produce a Outreach Church on Morris Avenue, just quality community newspaper. To support city would want to evict churches who “worthwhile” and that he would do it your paper, become a member and north of Kingsbridge Road, went to sup - contribute to their communities. again if necessary. “Like Martin Luther receive a subscription for one year. port Salaberrios and about 20 other cler - In early December, the Supreme Court King, Jr. said, ‘It is unjust not to stand up gy and church members who had gath - declined to review a ruling against Bronx against an unjust law,’” Cabrera said. Simply mail check or money order for ered in front of the law department’s $40 to: Norwood News, 3400 Reservoir office building.